Standing Committee & RB22 Sep 25

RB & Standing Committee News

The Representative Body met on the morning of Tuesday, 16th September 2025, followed by a meeting of the Standing Committee that afternoon.  Both meetings took place in Church of Ireland House, Dublin.

RB News

In his opening remarks to the Representative Body, the Archbishop of Armagh noted the service of three outgoing members – Mr Robert Neill (Dublin & Glendalough), Mr Roy Benson (Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe), and Mr Stanley McFarland (Derry & Raphoe).

Mr Neill was first co–opted as a member in 1999 and had served as Chair of the Executive Committee and as a member of the Investment Committee, Audit Committee, Allocations Committee, and Church of Ireland Pensions Board.  The Archbishop commented that Mr Neill had contributed massively to the work of the Representative Body, in terms of the home–work, head–work and heart–work given to his roles.

Mr Benson had served as a member of the Stipends Committee from 1993 to 2011, and as a member of the Executive Committee, Audit Committee and Investment Committee, and had contributed tremendously to the Representative Body’s financial performance.

Mr McFarland had served on the Property Committee from 2018 onwards.

The Archbishop paid tribute to the late Mr Justice Declan Budd, a member of the Legal Advisory Committee from 1993 to 2025, whose expertise was always greatly valued.

Dr Rosemary Peters Gallagher and Mr David Webb were appointed as co–opted members.

The re–elections of Mrs Diane Ruddock (Down & Dromore) and Dr Scott Brown (Connor) were noted.

Presenting the Executive Committee report, Ms Hilary Prentice noted progress made in terms of derisking the assets of the Clergy Pensions Trustee Designated Activity Company (DAC), to 85% of assets being de–risked.  She also highlighted a survey among Representative Body members to assist in the governance review undertaken by the Strategy Review Working Group, and a positive internal audit of the Representative Church Body’s investment administration work.

Ms Prentice gave a verbal report from the Executive Committee’s sub–group to review the governance of the Church of Ireland Youth Department to the meeting.

The Representative Body made the following recommendations (with effect from 1st January 2026) to the Standing Committee, which were approved by the Standing Committee at its meeting:

Minimum Approved Stipend

• Northern Ireland – £38,653 (increased by 3.6%)
• Republic of Ireland – €46,462 (increased by 1.8%)

Pensionable Stipend

• Northern Ireland – £35,060 (increased by 5%)
• Republic of Ireland – €43,937 (increased by 4%)

Clergy Pensions Fund solvency levy

• The rate of levy to be paid by each diocese towards the cost of securing the solvency of the Clergy Pensions Fund to be set at 0.8% of the Minimum Approved Stipend (reduced from 3%)

The Representative Body approved that clergy pensions in payment at 31st December 2025 will be increased as follows with effect from 1st January 2026:

• Pensions payable in sterling – 5% inclusive of any increases required by law
• Pensions payable in euro – 4%

The Representative Body approved that the rate of contribution from parishes, diocesan councils or other contributors to the death in service insured benefit for members of the Church of Ireland Clergy Defined Contribution Pension Plans be increased to 3.5% (from 3%) per annum, of the relevant Minimum Approved Stipend or Episcopal Stipend, with effect from 1st January 2026.

The Representative Body approved that the House of Bishops should have the final decision on which parishes are included on the list of curacies offered to ordinands from the Church of Ireland Theological Institute and which will attract the stipend subsidy provided by the Representative Church Body (subject to a requirement for an annual report to be brought to the Executive Committee on the implementation and effectiveness of the Curacy Fund scheme).

The Representative Body approved that the revised Dignity in Church Life – Prevention of Bullying & Harassment Policy be submitted to the Standing Committee for approval (subject to final drafting amendments).

Appointments

The triennial election of the members of the Representative Body’s committees took place.  All appointments are listed at this link.

Ms Alison Burnside was appointed as a Director of the Church of Ireland Pensions Trustee DAC.

Ms Hilary Prentice and Dean Nigel Dunne were elected to the Board of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin.

The meeting closed with the Grace.

Standing Committee News

Mr Ken Gibson opened the meeting of the Standing Committee with a Bible reading from Acts chapter 11 and a prayer asking for wisdom and guidance, and interceding for the Diocese of Meath and Kildare’s outreach at the National Ploughing Championships.

Canon Malcolm Kingston presented the report of the Honorary Secretaries, which noted the election of Archdeacon Katharine Poulton (Meath & Kildare) and Mr Alan Williamson (Kilmore, Elphin & Ardagh) to the membership of the Standing Committee.  The Bishop of Clogher and Mr Ken Gibson will attend the General Synod of the Church of Sweden, and Dean Paul Draper will attend the Governing Body of the Church in Wales.

In relation to the proposed review of the Church of Ireland Constitution, the Honorary Secretaries reported their conclusion that the entirety of the Constitution was not in need of a formal review, as reviews and revisions have already taken place relatively recently concerning episcopal electoral colleges, synodical representation and the General Synod bills terminology.  Comments from members were welcomed ahead of firmer proposals being made to a future meeting of the Standing Committee.

The Standing Committee approved the proposals of the Budget Sub–Committee and recommended them for consideration by the Allocations Committee of the Representative Body.

Presentations were made by Ms Hilary Prentice, providing an update from the Church of Ireland Youth Department Governance Working Group, Archdeacon Andrew Orr on Eco–Congregation Ireland, and Dr Niall Moore (Safeguarding Officer for the Republic of Ireland) on the current work of the Safeguarding Board.

Appointments

Ms Judith Cairns was elected as a co–opted member of the Standing Committee to fill the casual vacancy arising from the election of Mr Alan Williamson as a lay representative for Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh.

Dean Diane Matchett and Dr Catherine Smith were elected to the membership of the Church of Ireland Marriage Council.

The following persons were elected to the working group to examine the possibility of clergy being allowed to conduct marriages in alternative venues to church buildings: the Revd Lesley Robinson, Dean Niall Sloane, Canon Jen McWhirter, the Revd Carlton Baxter, Mr Andrew Brannigan, Dr Ruth Gardiner, Mr Timothy Smyth, Ms Judy Peters, and Mr Ken Gibson and Canon Gillian Wharton (as Honorary Secretaries).  The membership of the working group will also include two members to be appointed by the House of Bishops, representing the Province of Armagh and the Province of Dublin respectively.

The Archbishop of Dublin, Mr George Woodman, the Rev Chris MacBruithin, Ms Gina Copty, and Mr Neville Cobbe were appointed to attend the 2025 Irish Inter Church Meeting in the Dromantine Conference Centre, in Newry, on 13th and 14th November.

The meeting closed with the Grace.